Chapter 108
Upon exiting the room, Dimitra struck a victorious pose, her bow raised high as her lips curved into a triumphant smile.
The hard-won victory had left her exhilarated, the rush of adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
"That was amazing, Dimitra!" Eleni exclaimed, her eyes shining with pride as she rushed to envelop her sister in a warm embrace.
"Congrats, Dimitra," Nikolaos, Michalis, Clair, and Vasileios chimed in, their expressions filled with genuine pride and support for her.
However, Dimitra's moment of glory was short-lived as a sharp pain shot through her arm, causing her to wince.
"Ugh, my arm," she groaned, the euphoria of her victory quickly giving way to the discomfort of her burn wound.
"Sorry," Eleni uttered sheepishly, a faint blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.
Quickly realizing that her hug had inadvertently aggravated Dimitra's injury.
She had allowed her enthusiasm to override her caution, inadvertently causing her sister discomfort.
"It's alright," Dimitra replied, her tone reassuring as she turned her attention to Draco.
"Hmm, well done," Draco said upon noticing her gaze, nodding his head in approval.
A bright smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
He was glad that she had won but kept his praise to a few words, he feared that he wouldn’t stop praising her once he started.
Though there were areas for improvement, this was not the time for a lecture.
Dimitra's success had met his expectations, and he could feel a sense of satisfaction in that knowledge.
Dimitra on the other hand, felt a sense of pride swell within her, knowing that she had not failed to meet the expectations placed upon her.
"Eleni!" Draco's voice suddenly rang out, commanding the attention of the young woman who had been nervously awaiting her own trial.
Eleni flinched at the sound of her name, her anxiety palpable as she realized her turn had come.
Clair, sensing Eleni's anxiety, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Relax, you'll do okay," she said softly, her own expression reflecting the pressure they all felt.
Michalis, Nikolaos, Vasiliki, and Dimitra had all managed to complete their trials, though not without sustaining injuries.
The injuries sustained by each of them were a testament to the nature of the monsters they had confronted, but none were life-threatening, a small consolation that did little to alleviate the daunting task that now lay before Eleni.
"Your opponent is on the next floor. Get ready," Draco informed her, his tone authoritative yet tinged with a subtle encouragement.
Eleni's heart pounded rapidly in her chest as she mentally prepared herself.
"It's okay, I can do this," she whispered, a mantra to steel her nerves and bolster her resolve.
"Clair, gather the magic stones and arrows. We'll be leaving for the next floor after I've finished treating Dimitra," Draco instructed, his focus shifting to the immediate task at hand.
Clair dutifully complied, while Draco tended to Dimitra's injuries, ensuring she was properly healed before they continued their descent.
Once Dimitra was healed, the Bahamut familia began their descent to the 14th floor.
The 14th floor, much like the 13th, presented a complex and labyrinthine layout, with interconnected upper and lower tunnels.
Fortunately, Draco had meticulously mapped out the areas where he had set up the trials, guiding the Bahamut familia through the winding passages with ease.
It wasn't long before they reached the designated area where Eleni's trial awaited.
As a sword user with the ‘Amplification’ ability, Eleni was a speed-type fighter – her special skill allowing her to temporarily move at accelerated speeds, granting enhanced agility and reaction times.
Draco had chosen a pink wyvern as Eleni's opponent, a beast that was both fast and capable of enduring significant damage.
The wyvern's size and tough skin would make it challenging for Eleni to effectively use her slashing-focused sword, as the majority of her attacks would likely deal minimal damage to non-critical areas.
Furthermore, the wyvern's ability to fly would further complicate matters for Eleni, as she would have to struggle to land decisive blows.
The use of her ‘Amplification’ skill would drain her quickly, adding another layer of difficulty to the challenge.
Eleni stood before the entrance to the trial room, occasionally glancing back at her familia members.
Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a bag of sweets, popping a few into her mouth before walking over and handing the rest to Clair.
"Why are you giving this to me?" Clair asked, puzzled by Eleni's gesture.
"Hold it for me, wouldn't want to lose it while fighting," Eleni replied, her voice laced with a touch of nervous humor.
She sought to steady her nerves with the familiar comfort of the sugary treats.
Steeling herself for the impending battle, Eleni took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, her gaze fixed on observing the layout of her battlefield.
The weight of her familia's gaze rested heavily behind her, causing her neck to itch.
As she stood at the threshold, Eleni could feel the adrenaline buildup within her veins, her senses heightened and her mind laser-focused.
This was her moment, her chance to shine and demonstrate the true extent of her abilities.
With a resolute nod, she stepped forward, ready to face her opponent head-on.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
The dank air of the cavernous dungeon room hung thick with the scent of decay as Eleni cautiously made her way forward, her grip tightening around the hilt of her longsword.
The flickering light cast ominous shadows on the rough-hewn stone walls, heightening her senses as she scanned the area for any sign of the ferocious pink wyvern she had been tasked with slaying.
A sudden gust of wind whipped through the chamber, and Eleni instinctively raised her blade just in time to deflect a barrage of small rocks that came hurtling towards her.
CLANG !
The small stones ricocheted off her sword as she deftly maneuvered to avoid the onslaught, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Show yourself, beast!" she cried out, eyes darting about the room.
A deep, guttural roar shook the very foundations of the room, and Eleni braced herself as a 3 meter tall pink form came swooping down from the shadows above.
The wyvern's powerful wings beat the air, sending small loose rocks and debris flying in all directions as it landed with an earth-shaking thud just a few yards away.
Eleni gritted her teeth, her fingers tightening around the familiar hilt of her sword as she locked eyes with her opponent.
The wyvern's beady black eyes glinted with malice, its maw opened wide to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth.
It let out a bone-chilling screech that made Eleni's ears ring, but she refused to be intimidated.
She knew she had to stay sharp, to use every ounce of her skill and cunning if she had any hope of emerging victorious.
With a burst of speed, the wyvern lunged forward, its talons slashing through the air towards Eleni.
SHING!
She brought up her sword in a defensive arc, the metal ringing as it collided with the wyvern's talons.
Gritting her teeth, Eleni pushed back with all her strength, her muscles straining as she fought to hold the beast at bay.
The wyvern let out another deafening roar and pressed forward, its powerful jaws snapping mere inches from Eleni's face.
Panic surged through her, but she refused to give in to fear.
Summoning every ounce of her strength, she tapped into the hidden reserves of energy within her, activating her ‘Amplification’ skill.
Time seemed to slow as Eleni's perception heightened, her movements becoming a blur as she darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the wyvern's gnashing teeth.
CRUNCH !
The creature's jaws slammed shut on empty air, and Eleni seized the opportunity to lash out with her sword, slicing a deep gash along the wyvern's flank.
The beast let out a pained shriek and recoiled, its wings flapping furiously as it tried to regain its balance.
Eleni pressed her advantage, raining down a flurry of lightning-fast strikes, her blade a silver blur as she sought to capitalize on the wyvern's momentary vulnerability.
But the wyvern was no novice, and it deftly evaded her attacks, its powerful wings generating gale-force gusts that buffeted Eleni's frame.
"Tch," Eleni grunted, her brow furrowed in concentration as she dodged a swipe from the wyvern's razor-sharp talons.
The creature's movements were quite agile and unpredictable, and Eleni found herself hard-pressed to land a solid blow.
Sensing an opening, the wyvern reared back and smashed its tail against a large rock, sending a barrage of stones towards Eleni.
The projectiles hurled towards Eleni with alarming speed.
Reacting instinctively, Eleni raised her sword, deflecting the stones with a series of well-timed parries, her amplified reflexes allowing her to anticipate the onslaught.
"Not bad, you overgrown lizard," Eleni muttered, her lips curving into a smirk.
She knew that her amplification ability was draining her energy rapidly, but was determined to outlast her opponent.
Currently she could only store and use up to 3 charges of Amplification, each lasting for around a minute, so she needed to use each one wisely.
The wyvern let out a frustrated growl, its piercing eyes narrowing as it assessed its opponent.
Suddenly, it unfurled its massive wings and launched itself into the air, its powerful talons outstretched and ready to deliver a devastating strike.
Eleni's eyes widened as she realized the wyvern's intentions.
"Oh, no you don't!" she shouted, her voice laced with determination.
Using the second charge of her amplification skill, she dashed and leapt into the air, her sword raised high as she collided with the wyvern body, stabbing her sword deep into it.
The two combatants tumbled through the air, their fierce battle filling the room with the deafening sounds of their struggle.
Eleni's muscles strained as she tried to hold on while evading the wyvern's furious tail strikes, her amplified agility the only thing keeping her from being thrown to the ground.
Eventually the wyvern was forced to land, seeing as it was the one at a disadvantage.
Seizing the brief moment of respite, Eleni managed to pull out her sword from the wyvern and gain some distance, her mind racing as she sought a way to turn the tide of the battle.
But the respite was short-lived.
The wyvern recovered quickly, its head turning around to snap at Eleni's tired sword arm.
Instinctively she backpedaled frantically, barely avoiding the creature's snapping jaws.
THUD !
Her back collided with the rough stone wall, and she cursed under her breath as she realized she had been outmaneuvered.
The wyvern advanced, its powerful tail whipping around to block Eleni's escape route.
She feinted left, then right, but the beast anticipated her moves, pressing her relentlessly.
Sweat poured down Eleni's brow as she struggled to keep the creature at bay, her arms aching from the strain of parrying its savage attacks.
Just as she felt her strength begin to wane, Eleni saw her opportunity.
The wyvern reared back, preparing to unleash another barrage of rocks with its tail, she could tell that it’s aim was to wear her down before dealing the final blow.
Without hesitation, Eleni used the last charge of her ‘Amplification’ skill, darting forward in a blur of motion.
SHING!
Her sword sliced through the air, connecting with the wyvern's vulnerable underbelly.
The beast let out a gut-wrenching roar of pain and rage, its concentration broken.
The rock it had been planning to smash, shattered as it thrashed around wildly.
Not wanting to waste her opportunity, Eleni pressed her advantage, raining down a series of vicious blows.
But the wyvern was not about to go down without a fight.
It suddenly lashed out with its tail, the thick, scaly appendage slamming into Eleni's side with bone-jarring force.
WHAM !
“Gah” she gasped in pain, the impact knocking the wind out of her and sending her tumbling to the ground, but she managed to hold onto her sword.
Dazed, Eleni struggled to regain her footing, but the wyvern was already upon her, its massive talons pinning her to the floor.
She stared up into the creature's baleful eyes, her heart pounding in her ears as she realized this might be the end.
In a last-ditch effort, Eleni summoned every ounce of her strength, bringing her sword up and twisting her arm in a desperate strike.
CRUNCH !
The blade connected with the wyvern's neck, eliciting a pained screech from the beast.
It reared back, its talons loosening just enough for Eleni to wriggle free.
Gasping for breath, she scrambled to her feet, her sword held at the ready.
The wyvern, its throat gushing crimson, glared at her with unbridled fury.
It let out one final, defiant roar before charging forward, its wings beating the air with a deafening sound.
WHOOSH !
Eleni braced herself, her grip tightening on her sword's hilt.
As the wyvern drew near, she unleashed a powerful upward strike, her blade slicing through the creature's injured neck.
THUD
The wyvern's lifeless body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.
Eleni stood there, chest heaving, her eyes locked on the disintegrating fallen beast.
She had done it.
Against all odds, she had emerged victorious.
A sense of triumph washed over her, but it was tinged with the weight of her hard-fought battle.
With a weary sigh, she looked at her battered sword and sheathed it.
Picking up the magic stone, Eleni held her aching side, struggling to walk back to her familia waiting just outside the room.